Nitrogen dynamics in alpine ecosystems of the northern Caucasus

• Published in: Plant and soil Vol. 256; no. 2; pp. 389 - 402
• Main Authors: Makarov, M.I, Glaser, B, Zech, W, Malysheva, T.I, Bulatnikova, I.V, Volkov, A.V
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Kluwer Academic Publishers 01.10.2003; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Acid soils; Acidity; Alpine environments; biomass; Climatic conditions; ecosystems; fertilizer application; Festuca; Festuca varia; field experimentation; Forest soils; Geranium; Geranium gymnocaulon; Grassland soils; Grasslands; Hedusarum caucasicum; High temperature; Hydromorphic soils; Lichens; Low temperature; Meadows; Mineralization; Mountains; net nitrogen mineralization; Nitrification; Nitrogen; Nitrogen enrichment; nitrogen fertilizers; nitrogen-15 natural abundance; nutrient availability; Organic soils; pastures; Plant communities; Plant species; Plants; soil chemical properties; Soil ecology; Soil microorganisms; Soil organic matter; soil transport processes; soil-plant interactions; Soils; temperature; toposequences; Translocation

Net N mineralization, nitrification, microbial biomass N and 15N natural abundance were studied in a toposequence of representative soils and plant communities in the alpine zone of the northern Caucasus. The toposequence was represented by (1) low-productive alpine lichen heath (ALH) of wind-expose...